Putin’s failure to expel Ukraine’s army from Russian territory may gain added significance as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for a deal to end the war. While Russian troops continue to gradually advance on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv retains a bargaining chip in Kursk for a potential exchange of territory at any talks.

The General Staff of Ukraine reported that Kyiv's operation in the Kursk region has been ongoing for six months. Russia has lost nearly 40,000 soldiers there during this period. Over 16,000 have been killed,